Lights, Camera, Bride, Groom, Action! Weddings have all the ingredients
of a cinematic masterpiece from the bride and groom as the starring
actors, the wedding organizer as the director and all the guests and
bridal party as extras to fill in the gaps.

Planning a picturesque wedding may not unfold as effortlessly as
cutting bad shots of films, but Hollywood has manufactured box office
inspirations that showcase the endless possibilities of modern weddings.
You may not have the Hollywood budget, but the messages surrounding
certain blockbusters are very much relatable.

“I used to think a wedding was a simple affair,” said Steve Martin’s character George Banks in Father of the Bride.
“A boy and girl meet, they fall in love, he buys a ring, she buys a
dress, they say ‘I do.’ I was wrong. That’s getting married. A wedding
is an entirely different proposition.”

When assisting the bride with planning the wedding details, “The Steak
Pit” may not have to be in your top tier locations for your rehearsal
dinner, but it does share some helpful ideas on how to save money. Father of the Bride proves
two objectives: The father of the bride may become a nervous wreck, and
you can find less expensive alternatives for your wedding reception.

A panic-stricken George Banks was astounded with the notion of a $250 a
head budget, but the Banks family chose a practical and (likely) more
affordable wedding reception – their own backyard. Reception halls can
cost a measurable amount, but home weddings or receptions may be
convenient spot to gather family and friends. Decorators and caterers
can transform your backyard, or friends backyard, into a regal
destination for your wedding, and you won’t have too far to go. Keep in
mind that you have to rent everything and will need to provide parking,
so there is a trade off!

Photo by: Artisan Style Photojournalism

“Ever thine, ever mine, ever ours,” said a gleeful Carrie Bradshaw from Love Letters of Great Men Vol. 1 to the future Mr. Carrie Bradshaw. But aside from the hoopla and reverie surrounding the much anticipated wedding in Sex and the City, the movie presented a common wedding conundrum- simplicity vs. extravagance.

The ostentatious preparations surrounding the Sex and the City wedding
showcased the repercussions of over-indulging in the big day. The
initially intended small-in-size wedding erupted into an uncontrollable
wedding Hydra. Onlookers salivated at the Vivienne Westwood wedding
gown, the enviable Vogue photo shoot and the majestic New York Public
Library (where the ceremony was intended to take place). But even the
famous Manolo Blanik-wearing fashion guru proved the notion of
“everything is better in the movies” theory wrong; a couture gown vs. a
nameless dress, a baroque ceremony location vs. a courtroom marriage
can result in alternative endings. Extreme elegance does not equate to
the fairy tale love story. Simplicity can prove to be as elegant and
more stress-free than what your wallet can dish out.

Rachel Getting Married is another film that takes a simpler
turn with the wedding ceremony, but dazzles with a multicultural melting
pot of matrimonial nuances. Despite the complexities and inescapable
family dysfunction, the film uniquely presents how to incorporate
multiple cultures into a wedding and make it visually brilliant.

The film juxtaposes a traditional, and dysfunctional, Connecticut
family of the bride with the multicultural diversity of her groom. The
wedding and reception are held at the family home of the bride, and the
scenery unfolds explosively with culture, while adhering to some
traditional nuances of BBQ-styled home cooking. A Brazilian samba dance
troupe flash throughout the scenes while Eastern European stringed
instruments are played by the band that adheres to no specific musical
genre and range from samba to rap to classical. The bride and
bridesmaids choose an untraditional garment route and dress in Indian
saris. Another notable untraditional detail in the film is the film is
the anti-wedding inspired cake- a baby blue cake adorned with a giant
Indian elephant resting on the top tier.

In the story which upholds the theme “always a bridesmaids, never a bride,” 27 Dresses introduces
Jane, Katherine Heigl, the ultimate bridesmaid who has the history and
experience of understanding what it takes to orchestrate a wedding.
After experiencing and taking part in 27 weddings, Jane is the
dependable friend whom every bride leans on for support in organizing
the minor and major details of the big day.

While the film focuses on the complicated love triangles and relentless
drama surrounding Jane’s younger sister Tess’ marriage, the film
depicts how a daughter can classically incorporate her family history
into her wedding. Tess envisioned her wedding to resemble her mother’s
wedding, hoping to replicate all memorable details. Instead of shopping
for a current, modern gown, Tess chooses to wear her mother’s wedding
gown. After trimming lace and readjusting beading, the vintage gown is
tailored to suit Tess’s personal taste, despite the infuriation the
alternations cause Jane.

Sibling rivalry is ever-present in 27 Dresses, but after
sifting through the chaos, the film provides insight on how to include
mementos of your parent’s marriage into your own wedding. If the dress
doesn’t fit, you

Photo by: Bob Bradford

can always alter it to suit your personal taste.

Additional means of incorporating your family into your wedding can be
as simple as including them in the ceremony. If you have a handful of
sisters, you can always squeeze room for them as a bridesmaids or even
make your bridesmaids solely family-oriented. But what if you’re an only
child or belong to a family with only brothers? It can also become
problematic if your core group of best friends happens to be the
opposite sex, so who will fill in the gap as a maid-of-honor?

My Best Friend’s Wedding raises the issue of who to choose for
the hot seat as maid-of-honor, and, more importantly, who to trust.
When Kimberly, Cameron Diaz, chooses Julianne, Julia Roberts, to serve
as her maid-of-honor, the audience, along with the characters, are
baffled. While the two women pose as merely acquaintances, Kimberly
appoints Julianne the role as her maid-of-honor since she finds comfort
knowing Julianne is her fiancé’s best friends.

The film proves an important lesson—never delegate your wedding with
someone in love with your fiancé. But the film also proves that there
are other options when selecting your maid-of-honor. Despite the
attempted wedding sabotage by Julianne, the two conveniently patched up
their jealousy wound and birthed a friendship amidst the disarray in
time for the ceremony. A maid-of-honor can be someone unpredictable and
untraditional. She doesn’t have to be a long-time best friend or even a
relative. The maid-of-honor can be someone who provides unconditional
support or is an enjoyable person who is fun to be around.

If you want to stay untraditional, or dabble in untraditional
territory, Hollywood offers may films with the pros and cons of every
style of wedding. Each wedding is exceptional and unique, but
envisioning that outcome can be enjoyable with a little help from
Hollywood.